In an exhaust system of a vehicle such as automobile, etc., a catalyst converter for purifying an exhaust gas being exhausted from an engine is incorporated. As the catalyst carrier used in the catalyst converter, as shown in FIG. 18, a metallic catalyst carrier 23 having a honeycomb structure, in which a corrugated sheet 21 formed by applying corrugation process to a strip-like metal sheet base and a flat sheet 22 are superposed and then they are wound several times, has been widely employed (see Patent Application Publication (KOKOKU) Hei 8-11195).
Upon manufacturing the metallic catalyst carrier 23, a film-out phenomenon must be prevented by eliminating relative movement between the corrugated sheet 21 and the flat sheet 22. As a method of preventing such film-out phenomenon, methods have been adopted such that connected areas between the corrugated sheet 21 and the flat sheet 22 are jointed by welding or brazing, the metallic catalyst carrier 23 is fastened/pressurized by pressurizing jig such as a die and then is heated in a vacuum state to diffuse/joint the corrugated sheet 21 and the flat sheet 22 integrally, etc.
However, in the above metallic catalyst carrier 23, a weight becomes heavier by the presence of the flat sheet 22. In addition, since the corrugated sheet 21 can absorb thermal stress due to the high temperature exhaust gas but the flat sheet 22 is hard to absorb such thermal stress, stress strain occurs at the junction points between the corrugated sheet 21 and the flat sheet 22 to thus cause breaking and disconnection.
Therefore, in Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) Hei 5-138040, as shown in FIG. 19, the metal sheet 27 for metallic catalyst carrier has been disclosed wherein the corrugated sheet 24 is divided into a plurality of columns 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d along the winding direction, then a corrugate shape 26 is formed continuously in respective columns 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d at a predetermined pitch, and then phases of respective columns 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d are shifted between adjacent columns mutually and then wounded several times.
In the metallic catalyst carrier using such metal sheet 27, a weight of the metallic catalyst carrier can be made lighter as a whole because the flat sheet can be omitted. As a result, heat capacity of the metallic catalyst carrier can be made smaller so that a temperature rising time can be shortened, and the metallic catalyst carrier is excellent in absorption of thermal stress, and there is no possibility that breaking of the metal sheet 27 and disconnection of the metal sheet 27 due to such breaking are caused. In addition, since end portions of superposed the corrugate shape 26 of the metal sheet 27 are engaged with each other, relative movement of the metal sheet 27 can be prevented. Therefore, so-called film-out phenomenon in which superposed layers of the metal sheet 27 are displaced to thus project like bamboo sprout (like a spiral shape) never occurs.